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4 fatal crashes in July, despite crackdown

In the first six days of this month, Delaware recorded 347 crashes, resulting in four people being killed and 113 injured, highway officials said.

This all occurred while state law enforcement officers were cracking down on drunk drivers, speeders and aggressive drivers, enforcing seat belt usage and conducting pedestrian and motorcycle safety campaigns, said Alison Kirk, spokeswoman for the state Office of Highway Safety.

“Law enforcement officers are writing tickets to save lives,” she said. “If you receive a ticket, we hope you will pause for a moment the next time you get in your vehicle, remember why you received the ticket and change the behavior that led to the ticket.”

Speed and motorcycle enforcement continues, with the pedestrian safety campaign, which started Thursday, to continue through July 25, and Checkpoint Strikeforce DUI enforcement every weekend until the end of the year.

Last weekend, police arrested 86 drivers for drunken driving. So far this year, more than 2,000 people have been arrested for driving under the influence, Kirk said.

In addition, the number of motorcycle deaths in the state this year has been climbing – with 13 fatalities to date compared to 8 in the same period last year.

Of those killed, only 23 percent of the motorcyclists were wearing helmets, compared to 75 percent in the same time last year.

Delaware law does not require a motorcycle rider to wear a helmet, but it does require a helmet to be on the motorcycle.

In 2012, 1,699 lives were saved by motorcyclists wearing helmets, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Safety officials remind drivers to slow down, don’t drink and drive, always buckle up, avoid using illegal drugs before driving, and plan extra time to get to any destination so traffic frustrations don’t cause you to make bad decisions behind the wheel.